When students and families prepare for college, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is a major step in their academic journey and in determining how to pay for their education. The form can provide access to federal grants, student loans, and other aid options, helping millions of students across the country take the next step toward their education and career goals.
At the U.S. Department of Education, our goal is to deliver a financial aid application that is clear, accessible, and reliable. After years of mismanagement under the previous Administration, we are taking a deliberate, multi-phased approach to testing the 2027-28 FAFSA form before it opens to the public. By engaging real students, families, and community partners in controlled testing cycles, we can identify technical issues early, validate that our systems are working as intended, and use direct feedback to improve the user experience before full public access is initiated.
Beta 1 in Action: Real-World Testing on the Ground
Our first round of testing launched with targeted events hosted in partnership with more than a dozen high schools, colleges, and community-based organizations in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the Marshall Islands to observe applicants as they completed forms in real time.
I had the privilege of joining sessions myself, including participating in beta events with College Track and Service2School. At College Track, I attended in-person and watched first-generation students work through their FAFSA forms firsthand. At Service2School, I spent time with military veterans and service members who are serving our great nation as they navigated their educational benefits. These experiences reinforced my conviction that testing the FAFSA form with real students and families matters.
During the initial beta testing events, hundreds of students and families successfully submitted their 2027-28 FAFSA forms. These sessions ran smoothly and helped our team identify opportunities to further improve the user experience over time.
What Comes Next
Now that we completed our initial partner events, early access to the 2027-28 FAFSA form is available online nationwide.
Any student, parent, or contributor can now visit StudentAid.gov/joinbeta to request early access to the 2027-28 FAFSA form. Throughout the coming weeks, we will admit groups of applicants to complete their forms, allowing us to test at higher volumes of submissions. All FAFSA forms submitted during any beta phase are official, real FAFSA forms. Once processed, students do not need to resubmit their forms when the FAFSA form opens for full public access.
By testing early and acting on direct feedback from students, parents, and counselors, we are continuing our work to deliver the FAFSA form earlier and with greater reliability. This deliberate, rigorous approach will help us identify issues before full public access, so applicants can have a faster, simpler, and a more reliable FAFSA experience.
Our commitment is simple: to make applying for financial aid as seamless as possible so students can focus on what matters most—pursuing their education and building their future.
Ready to sign up? Request access to participate and submit your 2027-28 FAFSA form!
